Bachmann 32-683RJSF Class 45/0 45022 ‘Lytham St Annes’

The Class 45s were built at British Rail’s Derby and Crewe Works between 1960 and 1962. They were a development of the Class 44 and, together with the Class 46, the three classes were collectively known as the ‘Peaks’. As built the entire class was fitted with multiple-working equipment and steam-heat boilers but some later had their boilers removed and were fitted with electric train heating (ETH). With the implementation of TOPS in 1971, the steam-heat locos were designated Class 45/0 and the ETH fitted examples became 45/1s.

From 1975, during works visits the locomotives began to have their head-code equipment removed and this was replaced with sheet metal and two sealed beam marker lights and it is in this condition that these Class 45/0s are modelled. Although withdrawals of the Class 45 fleet began in the early-1980s, the particular locomotives selected for these models were some of the longest surviving examples, the first of which was not withdrawn until July 1987.